1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in ladders and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a portable ladder which may be collapsed into a relatively small package when not in use and readily extended for use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is frequently desirable or necessary to climb heights at locations wherein the usual or normal ladder may not be readily available. For example, during a camping trip, or the like, it may be desirable to climb to a relatively great height in a tree for retrieval of fire wood, and the tree may not be of a type which lends itself to the climb. Under such conditions it would be highly desirable to have a ladder at hand, but many of these locations are somewhat remote, and since the normal ladder is not usually considered as a portable device in the manner that one might always store the ladder in camping gear, or the like, a ladder is usually not available for use. Portable and collapsible ladders have been developed for overcoming the disadvantages of the usual relatively rigid ladder, such as those shown in the J. Dennis U.S. Pat. No. 2,905,264, issued Sept. 22, 1959 and entitled "Composite Link Structures for Collapsible Ladders, Conveyors, or the Like" and the G. A. Phillips U.S. Pat. No. 1,603,638, issued Oct. 19, 1926, and entitled "Ladder". These devices have certain disadvantages, however, in that strength of the link sturctures and the connecting elements therebetween may not be sufficient to withstand the normal usage of a ladder of this type.